Petunia plant named ‘Duesurminibu’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Petunia  plant named ‘Duesurminibu’, characterized by its upright to outwardly spreading to trailing and mounding plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; early and freely flowering habit; dark purple violet-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Petunia×hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘DUESURMINIBU’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Petunia plant, botanically known as Petunia×hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Duesurminibu’.

The new Petunia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Rheinberg, Germany. The objective of the breeding program is to create new outwardly spreading to trailing Petunia plants with numerous unique and attractive flowers.

The new Petunia plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in July, 2008 in Rheinberg, Germany of a proprietary selection of Petunia×hybrida identified as code number T05-4946-015, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Petunia×hybrida identified as code number T07-0520-002, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Petunia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Rheinberg, Germany in May, 2011.

Asexual reproduction of the new Petunia plant by terminal cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Rheinberg, Germany since July, 2011 has shown that the unique features of this new Petunia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Petunia have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Duesurminibu’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Duesurminibu’ as a new and distinct Petunia plant:

-   -   1. Upright to outwardly spreading to trailing and mounding plant         habit.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely branching habit.     -   4. Early and freely flowering habit.     -   5. Dark purple violet-colored flowers.     -   6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the new Petunia differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in growth habit as plants of the new Petunia are more vigorous than plants of the female parent selection. In addition, plants of the new Petunia have larger flowers than plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. Plants of the new Petunia differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in flower color as plants of the male parent selection have purple-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of the Petunia×hybrida ‘Veranda Blue’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Rheinberg, Germany, plants of the new Petunia differed primarily from plants of ‘Veranda Blue’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Petunia were more vigorous than plants of         ‘Veranda Blue’.     -   2. Plants of the new Petunia were more freely branching than         plants of ‘Veranda Blue’.     -   3. Plants of the new Petunia had larger and darker green-colored         leaves than plants of ‘Veranda Blue’.     -   4. Plants of the new Petunia had smaller flowers than plants of         ‘Veranda Blue’.     -   5. Plants of the new Petunia and ‘Veranda Blue’ differed         slightly in flower color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Petunia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Petunia plant.

The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Duesurminibu’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the summer in 10.5-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in Rheinberg, Germany and under cultural practices typical of commercial Petunia production. During the production of the plants; day and night temperatures averaged 18° C. and light levels averaged 4,500 lux. Plants were pinched one time three weeks after planting and were 16 weeks old when the photograph and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Petunia×hybrida ‘Duesurminibu’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Petunia×hybrida identified as code number T05-4946-015, not             patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Petunia×hybrida identified as code number T07-0520-002, not             patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About five days at             temperatures about 20° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About seven days at             temperatures about 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three             weeks at temperatures about 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four             weeks at temperatures about 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Upright to outwardly spreading to             trailing and mounding plant habit; freely branching habit             with about eleven lateral branches developing after             pinching; vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 24 cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 84 cm. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Length.—About 45 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 5 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 5 cm.         -   Strength.—Moderately strong.         -   Aspect.—Initially upright to outwardly spreading to             trailing.         -   Texture.—Pubescent.         -   Color.—Close to 144B. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Before flowering, alternate; after flowering,             opposite; simple.         -   Length.—About 7.1 cm.         -   Width.—About 3.4 cm.         -   Shape.—Ovate.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Obtuse.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent; leathery.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; arcuate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 138A.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 138C. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 139A; venation,             close to 144B. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close             to 139C; venation, close to 144B.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 7.4 mm. Diameter: About 2.7 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper             and lower surfaces: Close to 144B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and flowering habit.—Single salverform flowers             arising from leaf axils; freely flowering habit with usually             about five open flowers and flower buds per lateral branch;             flowers face mostly upright to outwardly.         -   Fragrance.—Moderately fragrant.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants flower continuously during             the spring and summer in Germany; early flowering habit,             plants typically beginning flowering about nine weeks after             planting.         -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about five to             seven days on the plant; flowers persistent.         -   Flower diameter.—About 5.7 cm.         -   Flower throat diameter.—About 9 mm.         -   Flower tube length.—About 2.5 cm.         -   Flower tube diameter.—About 2.5 mm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1.9 cm. Diameter: About 5.3 mm.             Shape: Ovoid. Color: Close to 144B and 84C.         -   Corolla.—Arrangement: Five petals fused at the base and             opening into a flared trumpet. Petal lobe length (from             throat): About 2.8 cm. Petal lobe width: About 2.9 cm. Petal             shape: Roughly spatulate. Petal apex: Rounded. Petal margin:             Entire. Petal texture, upper and lower surfaces: Rippled,             glabrous. Throat texture: Smooth, glabrous. Tube texture:             Pubescent. Color: Petal lobe, when opening and fully opened,             upper surface: Close to 81A; venation, close to 83A; color             becoming closer to 76A with development. Petal lobe, when             opening and fully opened, lower surface: Close to 81B;             venation, close to 81B. Flower throat: Close to 86D;             venation, close to 83A. Flower tube: Close to 77A; venation,             close to 86A.         -   Calyx.—Arrangement: Five sepals fused at the base forming a             star-shaped calyx. Sepal length: About 2.2 cm. Sepal width:             About 4 mm to 5 mm. Sepal shape: Oblong. Sepal apex:             Rounded. Sepal margin: Entire. Sepal texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth. Color, upper surface: Close to 137A.             Color, lower surface: Close to 137C.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 3.3 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Strength: Moderately strong. Texture: Smooth. Color: Close             to 144B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Five.             Anther length: About 2.5 mm. Anther shape: Ovate. Anther             color: Close to 155A. Pollen amount: Abundant. Pollen color:             Close to 188B. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil             length: About 2.1 cm. Style length: About 1.6 cm. Style             color: Close to 145C. Stigma shape: Rounded. Stigma color:             Close to 144A. Ovary color: Close to 144B. Seeds and fruits:             Seed and fruit development have not been observed on plants             of the new Petunia. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Petunia have been observed to     have good garden performance and tolerate wind, rain and     temperatures ranging from about 5° C. to about 40° C. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Petunia have not been     observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Petunia     plants. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Petunia plant named ‘Duesurminibu’ as illustrated and described. 